You should understand the basis of molecular genetics including the structure and functions of DNA and RNA, chromosomes, and genes. You should understand the processes of cell replication and division through mitosis and meiosis and efforts in new research now emerging toward understanding the complexity of DNA/RNA relationship.
You should be familiar with the Human Genome Project, what it is, its aims, the goals and efforts of its recent research, and potential biomedical application.
You should understand the mechanisms of genetic inheritance described by Mendelian genetics, including definitions for alleles, genotypes, and phenotypes. You should be able to explain how dominant, recessive, and codominant alleles affect phenotype, and predict probable distributions of alleles in offspring when given the parental genotypes.
You should know the definition of mutation, the mechanisms by which it occurs, and the role it plays in the evolutionary process. Special attention should be given to the discussion of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), a recurrent topic in future chapters.
You should be able to describe the debate over the relationship between genetics and behavior, and understand the complex interplay of genetic, environmental, and behavioral variation.
